Serving Bowls

Restaurant Serving Bowls: What You Need to Know

Necessary for serving large quantities of food – such as pasta, salad, and bread – serving bowls are a must have for most restaurants. Restaurant serving bowls can be used to serve appetizers, or they can be used for serving family-style meals. In addition to serving food, serving bowls are great centerpieces for showcasing food on tables, and they can be placed on buffet lines for customers to serve themselves. Serving bowls come in various sizes and styles, ranging from small to large serving bowls. For foods such as salad and pasta, there are specific salad and pasta serving bowls available. They can be constructed out of several materials, including stainless steel, melamine, and porcelain. Below, we'll answer commonly asked questions regarding restaurant serving bowls.

Common Questions About Serving Bowls

What are restaurant serving bowls made of?

As mentioned above, serving bowls can be made of a plethora of materials. Melamine bowls are extremely durable to withstand heavy use, resisting stains and chipping, and they're typically safe to clean in a dishwasher. Ceramic and porcelain serving bowls are popular in many establishments because of their heat resistance and compatibility with dishwashers, microwaves, and ovens. Bowls constructed of stainless steel can often serve as both serving and mixing bowls. Stainless steel is durable, easy to clean, and resistant to rusting. Providing a unique aesthetic, wooden serving bowls are nonabsorbent and safe for cleaning in a dishwasher.

What is a pebbled bowl?

Pebbled bowls feature unique textured exteriors and smooth interiors. They're commonly used to serve salad, fruit, and other products that must be cool to retain freshness. Their smooth interiors are simple to clean, while their textured exteriors improve food presentation and make the bowl resistant to scratches. Most pebbled serving bowls are transparent, so customers can view product inside.

What does "fully tempered" mean?

Some glass bowls come fully tempered, which means the glass has been treated with heat to enhance its strength, making the bowl safer and less likely to cause injury if broken. When tempered glass breaks, it shatters into small pieces that aren't jagged, unlike glass that hasn't been fully tempered. Tempering starts by molding the glass into its desired shape – for instance, a bowl. Then, the glass must be inspected to ensure there are no bubbles, cracks, or other imperfections in the glass that prevent tempering. After inspecting the glass item, it's washed to remove any dirt or debris. Next, the glass is heated in a tempering oven or kiln, where the temperature exceeds at least 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit. Finally, the glass item undergoes quenching, where it's exposed to high-pressure blasts of cold air at different angles. As the product chills rapidly, the exterior cools and contracts, and as the interior cools, the glass gets tense; this tension is what gives tempered glass its strength.